The sport performance in rowing teams

The Ringelmann effect

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to analize if the Ringelmann effect, is affected by an increase in the number of members of a group diminishes progressively the individual performance in the end. Method. The sample population was made up of 44 rowers aged between 14 and 17 years of age (average = 15,43; standard deviation [SD] = 1,7). The majority of the participants had 3 or more years' rowing practice and 73,5% of them had obtained at least a third position in a national championship. Results. In 93,18% of the cases there is a systematic decrease in the team tests compared to individual tests; the average number of meters rowed individually was 851,32 m, while the groups' distance was 837,07 m. (t = 7,028, gl = 34, p = 0,000). The average oar strokes for individuals was higher (35,02) than the oar strokes executed as a group (34,79), although the differences between the two averages were not significant (t = 0,696, gl = 42, p = 0,245). Effort perception in the scale or Borg, the rowers scored significantly lower in the individual effort (6,03) than as a group (7,29) (t = -4,769, gl = 34, p = 0,000). Conclusions. This study proves that the Ringelmann effect is reflected on the distance covered, in which we find a decrease, not explained by the number of strokes. Furthermore, the fatigue perceived individually is lower in spite of having covered more meters than as a group.